| Gallantry |
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Gallantry | ||
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Awards for Gallantry
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Thomas Jameson |
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Edward Medal | |||
| Date: | 14 Feb 1940 | ||
| Colliery: | Bold Colliery, Lancashire | ||
| Occupation: | Colliery Agent | ||
Whitehall, September 19, 1940.
His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award the Edward Medal to Thomas Jameson and Carl Mallinson Schofield, in recognition of their gallantry in the following circumstances:—
About 8.45 p.m. on the 14th February, 1940, a serious fall of roof occurred in the main loading level of the Bold Colliery, Lancashire, completely burying five men. Rescue operations were immediately begun and in 1¼ hours one of the men was liberated and was able to walk out of the pit with assistance. He was able to tell the agent, Thomas Jameson, who had arrived and taken charge, the approximate position of the other four men. Jameson, assisted by a night shift foreman, Carl Schofield, whose father was one of the men buried, working only with their hands (there was no room for a shovel) removed stones and dirt and sawed through a conveyor chain and a rail, and after prolonged efforts one of the men was rescued by 2 a.m. next morning. Operations were continued, other men taking turns, until about 3 a.m. a third man was released. The other two men could be seen but appeared to be dead.
The rescue had to be carried out in a very confined space and in conditions of extreme difficulty and danger owing to the imminent risk of further falls as the debris which covered the buried men was removed. If this had not been prevented by the skilful directions of Jameson the number of deaths would almost certainly have been greater. Immediately after the third man had been released there was another big fall which completely blocked the hole which the rescuers had been using as a means of access.
The rescues were undoubtedly due to the coolness, courage and skilful leadership of Jameson, and to the assistance he received from Schofield, who displayed the greatest energy and courage throughout, knowing all the time that his father was lying under the fall.
Source: London Gazette (08 Oct 1940)
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